Internet friend Adam J. Kurtz has again created a charming little mail-out for all you love bugs out there. The Perfect Match Postcard is perfect for valentines or anytime, really.
Stated best by Adam: “this postcard announces what you already knew… you’ve found your pefect match! Maybe it’s pizza, a good friend, or your favorite cat, or maybe, just maybe, it’s a significant other. Let them know without roses, foil inks, or any scary four-letter “L” words.”
Hear, hear! Let’s not be too tacky this Valentine’s Day, folks. Say I Love You in an awesome way like this.
I’m off to Niagara until Tuesday to catch up on some much needed relaxation time. Short and sweet, but it certainly will be enjoyed.
So before it’s too late… Happy Halloween everyone! Check out this amazing zombie apocalypse invite illustrated by Ellen Forney. I love the black and white comic style. Truly, truly awesome. Certainly not traditional, and I’m all for it.
I am a big fan of the narratives and techniques of artist Daniel Fishel. He recently contacted me to let me know about current work and a brand new online shop where you can order his prints. How exciting!
I love letters! And it’s a good thing I do. They are an essential tool in design. They can come in all shapes and forms, and can be experimented with in a variety of materials and formats. Over at LetterCult.com, artists from all over submit their remarkable custom letter work to compete in a monthly ‘AlphaBattle’. If you think you have the creative chops, you should submit yours too! Or just head over to the site and admire the creativity. You’ll be surprised at what some people come up with.
I treated myself to a bar of this other day from Galerie Au Chocolat because…
a) I had a store credit at Pistachio
b) I had a craving for chocolate
c) I loved the simple line illustrations and typography. Yes. Sometimes I do “judge books by their cover” and this book… errrr… chocolate bar was saying to me “I taste awesome because my design is so awesome… oh, and p.s. I’m fair trade”. So what was a girl to do?
I wish more companies had the guts to go with a design approach like this.
The Decemberists have a new album out which I am crazy excited for, but for this post I am going one album back, to The Hazards of Love. Originally written as a rock opera that was set to be staged (and thankfully wasn’t, as I felt the decision to have it “visualized” by various talented artists was a much better extension), I was pleasantly surprised to find that this album was collection of beautifully composed songs that could stand strongly on their own. That’s not to say that the narrative isn’t apparent while listening to the entire album through. The plot is a love story: a woman named Margaret who falls in love with a shape-shifting boreal forest dweller named William. This track is the watery finale to the tale, with William (Colin Meloy) singing out the wedding vows.
These are perfectly feminine and great inspiration for invitation, stationary and just doodles! Alice Gabb‘s illustrative style also has a vintage touch to it, which we always love.
I have been following and admiring Julia Pott’s work for quite some time now, but it’s about time I shared it with all of you. You will quickly notice that Julia is a lover of animals. Kitties, puppies, polar bears and foxes play main characters in her art, and a few of their favourite activities include: prancing about, holding hands, and dancing in forests together. What’s not to love about them? They’re absolutely adorable in the coolest way ever!
Her most recent projects include: a series of short ads for the television series Skins from Treat Studios (the creative collective she’s a part of); a signed limited edition 5×7 print in support of Haiti relief; and a multimedia project for the band The Decemberists called Here Come the Waves: The Hazards of Love Visualized at UCLA’s Royce Hall in Los Angeles. Julia’s prints/illustrations can also be found on pillows, totes, and aprons. Make sure to check out her personal portfolio site, blog, and photostream to follow up on other current projects.
And now I leave you with the very first project I saw of Julia’s: My First Crush, which was her final film at Kingston University. It’s an animated film based on interviews with people about their first crushes. Enjoy!
I want to share some illustrative work I found on Flickr a while back. Kate works under the name Little Doodles online and produces a beautiful collection of hand-drawn/painted pieces. She relies on a technique called pointillism, and is known best for her vast collection of little birdies. They have made appearances on stationery, tote bags, window displays, and a variety of trinkets.
